Date: 28th February, 2020
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as part of a national campaign encouraging people to become on-call firefighters.
The ‘Need More’ awareness week runs from 2nd March and will highlight opportunities available in the fire service while busting myths about what it takes to be a firefighter. The campaign is supported by a national website – www.oncallfire.uk – which encourages people to get in touch with their local fire service at any time of the year.
An on-call firefighter is someone who responds to a range of fire and rescue service jobs; these range from emergency calls, working at open days, carrying out work with their local communities and acting as an ambassador for the fire service. On-call firefighters come from every walk of life, including homemakers, shopkeepers, builders, farmers, office workers and directors of companies, together with people who are not currently employed. Full training is provided on an ongoing basis, therefore previous experience is not needed. An on-call firefighter could be called out two or three times a week, for a few hours at a time.
The on-call hours are based around people’s availability and other commitments. To be an on-call firefighter, you must:
- Have a strong desire to support the local community
- Be enthusiastic about working as part of a team
- Have a reasonable level of personal fitness
- Live and/or work close to your local fire station
Area Manager Ian Jeary said: “On-call firefighters are an integral part of our service and community. We are keen to encourage anyone with the right skills to find out about what they can offer us and in return, what the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service can offer you. To find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter, have a look at our website.”
The national on-call firefighter recruitment site – www.oncallfire.uk – gives advice to employers on how having an on-call firefighter within the business can bring advantages. These include health and safety and medical response training, as well as developing situational awareness, leadership skills and the ability to work under pressure.